Skills bootcamps Archives - Destination Chesterfield

D2N2 LEP secures funding for next wave of Skills Bootcamps provision

19th January 2024

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has secured almost £5 million to broaden its successful Skills Bootcamps offer.

The organisation has a successful track record of delivering Department for Education funded Skills Bootcamps, which have been developed by the Government as part of the Skills for Life programme.

Following successful applications in four previous waves of Skills Bootcamps, D2N2 LEP has now been allocated further funding as part of the fifth wave of Skills Bootcamps allocations.

The funding of £4,967,950 represents an increase of almost £1.5 million on the previous allocation in Wave 4 (£3.5 million).

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for adults aged 19 or over. They give people the opportunity to build up valuable sector-specific skills based on local employer demand and provide a direct path to a job on completion.

With this funding boost, D2N2 LEP indends to broaden the range of sectors that its Skills Bootcamps support. For example, for the first time, Skills Bootcamps in leadership and management will be offered for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The organisation will also work with providers to offer a wider range of Skills Bootcamps programmes in priority areas of digital, construction, engineering and green skills (construction and electric vehicles).

As the lead partner, D2N2 LEP will be working with Derbyshire County Council to open the procurement window to allow providers to apply for delivery contracts for Wave 5 Skills Bootcamps programmes. D2N2 LEP will make an announcement as soon as this window opens, expected to be later this Spring.

Employment and Skills Manager at D2N2 LEP, Richard Kirkland, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we’ve succeeded in our application to be a Wave 5 Skills Bootcamps provider, following our successful track record of delivering Skills Bootcamps in all four of the previous waves. It’s fantastic that through the increase in funding we’ve secured, we’ll be broadening our offer to include new programmes, such as leadership and management for small and medium sized businesses.

“This is really positive news as I look back on my 40 year career in education and skills and prepare to retire; it’s such a proud moment for me. I would like to thank all my colleagues, all our providers and partners for their support over the years and I wish all the Skills Bootcamps learners all the very best in their future careers.”

Richard will leave D2N2 LEP at the end of this month to commence his well-earned retirement, following his 40 year career in education and skills.

Businesses across Chesterfield are encouraged to find out more about the skills support available to help them grow their organisations, by attending the Employability and Skills Conference on Thursday, 8th February.

Find out more about D2N2 LEP’s Skills Bootcamps programme

Chesterfield firms encouraged to take advantage of innovative D2N2 Skills Bootcamps

7th August 2023

A series of Skills Bootcamps taking place across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire are continuing to make a significant impact on improving lives and communities in the area.

The project, launched by D2N2 includes a wide range of Skills Bootcamps for learners to choose from. The range of subjects includes Electric/Hybrid Vehicle System Repair & Replacement, Cloud Computing, Digital Marketing, and many more.

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer.

Fully funded for learners, Skills Bootcamps are delivered in partnership with employers, further education training providers and universities across the East Midlands.

The training and support available to learners is aligned with local and national demand for skills, ensuring that people have direct line of sight to a job following completion of the course.

Skills Bootcamps help employers to develop their employees’ skills and fill their vacancies, and help individuals to find a new job or advance their skills to progress further in their career.

Find out more about Skills Bootcamps here.

In our region, Skills Bootcamps are making a real difference to people’s career prospects.

Georgie began her career development journey when she enrolled onto the Skills Bootcamp in Digital Marketing with DBC Training, after deciding that university wasn’t the right route for her. She chose the Skills Bootcamp in Digital Marketing, because it offered a clear pathway for her to gain new skills and career opportunities. As she progressed through the course, her enthusiasm grew.

Georgie-Headhsot-Skills bootcamps D2N2 LEP

Georgie progressed her career by taking part in D2N2’s Skills Bootcamps programme

She said: “I have really enjoyed the Bootcamp, as it has been a really good opportunity for me to learn more about marketing.”

On completing the course, Georgie was delighted to have gained sufficient skills and knowledge to successfully apply for a position as a Digital Marketing Apprentice at Pennine Healthcare, and started her apprenticeship in January 2023.

Fiona Baker, Head of People and Skills at D2N2 LEP, said: “Over the past three years we have seen more courses added to the offer in direct response to the needs of employers who are struggling to find people with the right skills. Skills Bootcamps are a great way to deliver the skills that employers are looking for to grow their business and take on a wider range of work.”

If you are interested in finding out more, contact the D2N2 Skills Bootcamps Project Officers at: skillsbootcamps@d2n2lep.org

Skills bootcamps across our region are being delivered by D2N2 LEP